You’re in America now, speak English
Alondra Rivera, Wilmer, TX I remember hearing this as a child constantly, especially with my grandmother. I felt ashamed speaking Spanish that I completely didn’t...
Bicultural and Bilingual should be enough.
Megan Medrano, Houston, TX. Growing up Latina in south Texas, I have always been surrounded with rich culture. My home was filled with both the...
Grandma for grandkids of many colors
Emma Cate, San Jose, CA We have four grandsons who are half black, one adopted grandson who is brown, two great-grandkids who are half Chinese....
Without a paddle and a boat
Joseph Ludwig, Las Vegas, NV Being a guy that has grown up in a “Community” of whites, blacks, Asians, Natives, Latinos and other subgroups in...
Latine is Geography, Hispanic is Language
Itzel Moncayo, CA I am Mexican-American which means my ethnic identity lies in being both Latine and Hispanic. My physical appearance resembles the stereotypical appearance...
Engish only, you’re not really Mexican.
Matthew Montoya, Orange, CA I understand Spanish but I can speak fluently. I get embarrassed because fluent Spanish speakers are no help to teach, they...
Why do I have to pick?
Lisa Pearce, La Marque, TX Being mixed race has brought on everything from “oh, you look like you speak Spanish” to “don’t be so white”....
“White” papers over identity and background.
Catherine Kehl, Cleveland Heights, OH. When we divide ourselves into “us” and “other” we don’t only lose the other, we lose ourselves. I was twenty-seven...
Passing off white, hearing the truth
Anonymous, USA I am a light-skinned Hispanic woman. I straddle between the white world and the brown world. White people don’t realize I’m brown,...
Outside I’m Black, inside I’m multitudes
Julie Bayley, Bronx, NY p>I am so tired of being “classified“. As with most people of darker hue on this side of the diaspora, I...
Spanish is not my first language!
Valeria, Cincinnati, OH. Whenever I say I am from Brazil (most of the time) people instantly start to speak in Spanish as it is my...
I’m More than, Less than Accepted
Nicole Reynolds, Virginia Beach, VA. Race often goes hand and hand with self worth. Who am I in the world? What does that answer mean?...
Colombian? Where is your accent?
Yessica Guarin Arias, Boston, MA. Yes, I don’t have the same accent as the actors and actresses on TV. The reason to why is because...
Mexican Born achieving my American dream
Jesus Castro Menifee, CA California Baptist University CBU HIS311 I was born in Mexico and am the first person in my family to have a...
I’m done with all the fights
Cara, UT. I have been having debates with my husband for a long time. We have spoken about how there is trained racism and acknowledge...
“This is America, We Speak English”
Valentin Miranda, Dallas, TX I just find it funny when someone tells me this when I speak Spanish with my mom somewhere public because the...
Little bit of everything and everywhere
Ashlee Johnston, Ladera Ranch, CA. People tell me they thought that I am White but once I tell them about my Asian/Hawaiian/Spanish/Canadian…. background they say...
